


A matter of the mind

by ximeria



Series: 2013 March Writing Exercises [1]
Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: 1950s, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Dark, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Mental Institutions, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-04
Updated: 2013-03-04
Packaged: 2017-12-04 08:14:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/708529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ximeria/pseuds/ximeria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Charles is 16 years old when his 'loving' stepfather checks him into a facility for 'his own good'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A matter of the mind

**Author's Note:**

> I shouldn't be allowed to watch Discovery Science. It's a bad influence.
> 
> As a writing exercise, I decided to let anything and everything inspire me and the story would have to be 500-1000 words.

Charles is 16 years old when his 'loving' stepfather checks him into a facility for 'his own good'. In reality his stepfather has caught onto what Charles is capable of. So the verdict is mentally insane; 'hearing voices' is the reason given.

Of course, getting rid of Charles to get the Xavier fortune must be the cherry on top.

There's little Charles can do. His mother is drunk out of her mind most days, and there's no one to stop Kurt. His control over his abilities is nowhere strong enough to be of any help.

He's 17 when the doctors begin to talk of 'fixing his brain'.

This is also the year he meets a surly, young German boy, who all the doctors find creepy beyond words.

Charles knows this, because he can hear their fear, their tedious thoughts, their desires and dislikes.

Before Kurt sent him here, he would occasionally hear a thought or two from someone, eventually figuring out that he wasn't 'hearing' things. However, it won't help prove his sanity if he tells them he can hear their thoughts.

On the contrary.

In many ways, his stay here has taught him to control his own thoughts, to shield against those who _are_ unfortunately mentally disturbed - he has a feeling that if one isn't insane upon entering the facility, one will very quickly become so.

But, back to Max, or Erik as his real name is. Charles hasn't dug out why he goes by another name than his own. But Charles has occasionally caught the tail ends of Erik's nightmares, so he won't judge his reasons.

However, as much as everyone, staff as well as patients, avoid Erik like the plague, Charles can't help himself. He drifts to him. His mind is like a beacon, all controlled anger and determination. Sharp corners and straight lines. Wrapped in barbed wire.

Erik's at the facility because he's got 'anger issues'.

Charles thinks that's a gross understatement, but he's also seen glimpses of Erik's memories... and strictly speaking, he's entitled to be angry at the world. The fact that Charles is pretty sure Erik's killed several men in the past for their transgressions does nothing to lessen his fascination.

Erik... tolerates Charles. He also thinks there's more to Charles than Charles is showing the world. He also doesn't believe that Charles is 'hearing voices'. It's at the forefront of his thoughts, every time he sees Charles.

Just like Charles knows there's something different about Erik. It's an unspoken agreement between the two that neither will bring it up.

Right until the day when 'fixing' Charles' brain turns out to mean they've scheduled _and_ been given a green light from Kurt for a lobotomy.

Charles' lethargy towards the world is shattered and he tries to grasp their minds as he's put in the medical chair, trapped into place with leather straps and metal buckles.

Unfortunately he's never tried to control anyone's mind, so he has no idea how to go about it. And the drugs are numbing his mind, his control.

The screams start with the rooms closest to the operating theatre. Then they spread. Like rings in the water.

Then Charles' mind expands with fear as he reaches outward, silently screaming for help. He's partly unconscious, partly knows that in a moment, he'll probably cease to know anything, will cease to be _Charles_.

His mind washes over Erik's, recognizes this, because Erik's mind is something solid and familiar.

First, it's quiet, then it seems there's a faraway earthquake. The chair trembles, the metal table with the tools on vibrates, the door rattles.

Charles finds his mind receding as the drug takes a hold of him, but he's pretty sure he feels Erik's presence, the brightness of his mind and his fury, coming closer and something wet and warm sprays his face and neck. It's vaguely metallic in smell, slick.

He feels the doctor's mind snuffed out like a light as the metal buckles melt away from the leather straps just as Charles melts away into a peaceful, drug induced sleep.

As sure as he knows he'll wake again, he knows Erik will watch over him and be there waiting for him when he returns to the conscious world.

The End

**Author's Note:**

> The reason for Discovery Science being a bad influence: They have a brilliant program called Dark Matters, which tells of the weird and dark places science has gone over the years. This weekend's episode touched upon the discovery of lobotomy. And how it was treated as a miracle cure especially in the 1940s and 50s. It was a horrible procedure that would either kill the patient or leave them a vegetable - in some cases they lost significant motor skills and mental awareness, communication skills etc. Originally developed to make it easier to control and deal with the patients, especially those prone to anger and hysterical behaviour. Eventually it was proved to have little positive effect, and far reaching negative effects on the patients.
> 
> Truly the dark ages of science (I can only recommend watching the episodes, though they can be pretty gory and icky).


End file.
